Deadline: 15 November 2016
Open to: emerging women leaders from developing countries
Scholarship: Full funded ( the cost of economy-class travel, tuition, room and board)
Description
Established in 2011, the Global Change Leaders Program is a seven-week education program offered by Coady Institute’s International Centre for Women’s Leadership. This program enables women from developing countries to strengthen their leadership capacities in order to contribute to innovation and change in their organizations and communities. Program participants engage in learning grounded in real world experiences and focused on Coady’s core thematic areas. Through a shared learning environment with other emerging women leaders from around the world, participants are exposed to a range of experiences and the beginnings of a potentially lifelong network of support.
The Global Change Leaders program provides successful candidates with a full scholarship that includes tuition, travel, accommodations, and meals. Successful participants are responsible for costs pertaining to acquiring a visa to enter Canada.
Program participants benefit from the guidance and mentorship of accomplished women leaders from around the world. The program is led by a core team of staff in the International Centre for Women’s Leadership and supported by other Coady faculty and associates.
For 2017, the Global Change Leaders Program consists of two main components:
| 1. | July 17 – September 1, 2017: A seven week on-site intensive course at the Coady International Institute in Antigonish, Nova Scotia where a collaborative relationship is fostered among facilitators and participants to draw out lessons and insights from their rich and diverse experiences. This consists of: | ||
| a) | A foundation module, in which participants focus on leadership theories and essential competencies, analysis of gender, citizenship and power, practical understandings of these concepts and their application for women leaders within their own contexts, strengthening capacities for social innovations, partnership building in a multi-stakeholder environment, and enhancing abilities to realize citizen-driven asset-based development. | ||
| b) | A focus on gendered approaches for social, political and economic empowerment and community development, including addressing legitimacy and accountability in governance structures, building resilient communities and strengthening inclusive economies. | ||
| c) | A final module, in which participants articulate an action plan for how they will take their new learning home to provide leadership in their organizations and communities and continue to work towards empowering other women moving forward. | ||
| 2. | September 30, 2017 – March 31, 2018: Participants will benefit from one-on-one mentoring from experienced women leaders upon their return home for up to six months to follow on the application of learning into practice. Mentors and mentees will be matched during the residency period based on specific needs and geographic locations. Participants will also join a global alumnae network of women leaders | ||
Eligibility
This program is targeted to emerging women leaders from developing countries who are working on development issues. These are women who:
- Possess a minimum of five years of demonstrated leadership experience in a social or economic development endeavor in sectors such as livelihoods or inclusive economic development, food security, environment, access to education and health care, governance, political engagement of women and the rights of girls and women;
- Will be immediately returning to their community and sector following the program to put their learning into practice;
- Have great drive and passion for their work, demonstrated through their outstanding contributions in their organizations and communities;·
- Are practitioners in civil society organizations including community based organizations and not for profits, or active in public or private institutions, donor/philanthropic agencies, social movements or in a social enterprise/business;
- Hold a university degree or a combination of post-secondary education and experience; and
- Have strong oral and written English language competencies.
Candidates must be from a country eligible for Official Development Assistance.
Scholarships
The Coady International Institute offers a range of full and partial scholarships.
Thanks to the generous financial support of Global Affairs Canada, as well as a number of individual and institutional donors, the Coady International Institute is able to offer partial scholarships to most candidates accepted into the Institute’s training programs. Specific scholarships are available through The MasterCard Foundation Microfinance Scholars Program for certificates in the Coady Institute’s Community-Based Microfinance and Livelihoods and Markets.
The Institute is rarely able to provide 100% scholarship. A limited number of travel awards may be allocated each year for the Diploma in Development Leadership Program. When completing the application form applicants will be asked if they wish to be considered for a scholarship and how they intend to cover the remaining costs of the program such as travel, visa application and fees not covered by a scholarship. Once a candidate is accepted into a Coady program, s/he will be informed of the level of scholarship support offered as well as the balance of costs for which the candidate is responsible.
Application
You must provide detailed and complete answers to the questions in this application. It is important that the information you provide can be verified by our Admissions Team.
Completing the six page application form requires up-to-date information regarding:
- Your current employment and relevant volunteer work and education
- Your sponsor organization including annual report and organization chart
- Names and contact information for two referees who can attest to your eligibility for the program(s) you are applying for
If you have not completed your education in English, you will be asked to provide proof of your ability to speak, write, and read English.
Depending on the program, you may be asked to participate in a Skype interview.
If travel to Canada is necessary to attend a program, it is your responsibility to apply for a visa.
We are not able to process incomplete applications. Applications are not complete until two references have been received.
When you save a partially completed form, you will be required to provide a username and password. An email will be sent to the email address that you provide. Please check your email system carefully in case the email from us is stuck in your junk or spam folder.
To return to your application click the link in the email and enter the username and password you created.
You can create only one application with your email address. Please do NOT create a second application using a different email address. We contact you using your email address, and if you provide more than one, we need to find and combine both of your applications, which can slow the processing time.
In order to apply, register HERE.
If you have any questions, check the FAQ section or write to: 
coadyadmit@stfx.ca